


Reparations

by Spot_On60



Category: The A-Team (2010), The A-Team - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:41:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22962571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spot_On60/pseuds/Spot_On60
Summary: “Wouldn’t trust her as far as I could throw her.”“Well BA, then it’s a good thing we’re trying to reel her in and not throw her back. Besides, you don’t need to do anything. We’ll have Face do it.”
Relationships: Templeton "Faceman" Peck/John "Hannibal" Smith
Comments: 15
Kudos: 21





	Reparations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [loves_books](https://archiveofourown.org/users/loves_books/gifts).



“Wouldn’t trust her as far as I could throw her.”

“Well BA, then it’s a good thing we’re trying to reel her in and not throw her back. Besides, you don’t need to do anything. We’ll have Face do it.”

“Wait a second. Why me? You want her so bad, you go get her.”

“She already knows me.”

“Murdock?”

“Much as it hurts me to say it Faceman, I’m just not that good of a catch. Not like you.”

“Chin up kid. You pick her up, drive her to the Mobley estate and collect our fee. Easy peasy.”

“And just how do you propose I convince her to come with me?”

“You’ll think of something, kid. You always do.”

Face didn’t just roll his eyes, he looked to the sky for guidance while running his fingers through his hair.

“There’s something wrong there, Boss. Something doesn’t add up. Can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something off.”

“BA, we’ve been at this for two weeks now. The last part of the plan is here. Face drops her off, we get paid and we’re out of here.”

“I don’t think he should go alone. Think it’s dangerous.” BA crossed his arms. He was taking a stand. “We already know she’s dangerous.”

“How’s that going to look, Face showing up with a sidekick? He’s a big boy. He can take care of himself.”

Face looked between the two men. Bosco seldom questioned an order. He may grumble, but with the exception of flying, he’d pretty much go with the flow. At that moment he was standing his ground.

“You know, maybe he’s right...” Face had turned his head to Hannibal yet his eyes remained on BA.

“That’s enough,” Hannibal cut him off. “We’re sticking to the plan.” BA wasn’t the only one digging his heels in.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~¥¥¥~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Face tilted his head as he brushed her hair behind an ear. His attention was on her lips. She looked demurely from under her brow. He dropped his head. She raised her chin. He leaned down. She reached up. He pressed his lips to hers, closed his eyes and thought of his stubborn lover.

“Mmmm....” She began walking him, never releasing his mouth from her own.

He opened his eyes to see she was aiming them toward the bedroom.

“I want all of you,” she whispered, her lips only an inch from his, looking up to those vivid blue eyes.

Face carefully extricated himself from the embrace. Holding her at arm’s length he smiled approvingly. “Dinner first. I made a reservation at a wonderful new restaurant. You’re going to like it. It’s in the main house of a lovely old estate.”

She tried to move in. “We may need to push that reservation back an hour or two.”

Face held her at bay. “Had to pull some strings to get the one we have.” He smiled down on her, letting it reach to his eyes, something he had to consciously conjure. It was natural when it came to Hannibal, frankly BA and Murdock too. Yet when it came to these seductions, it was nothing more than an intricate bit of acting.

She smiled as well, maybe a bit resigned. “I’ll need to change. I won’t be more than a few minutes.”

“That’s my girl.”

 _This is going well_ , he thought to himself.

“You know I grew up on an old estate in Virginia.”

Oh he knew alright. “No. I didn’t know that,” he called back.

“I always think of it as the universe made a mistake. I didn’t belong there. Couldn’t wait to get away.”

 _I bet. Especially after murdering your Aunt Rachael and stealing her jewelry to finance your escape_ crossed his mind as he moved the sheer curtain aside to look out on the waiting Town Car, driver reading the paper nearby. “Well this place has a definite Art Deco vibe. Old Hollywood instead of back East old money.” He released the curtain and added, “Have you ever been in any of the grand mansions around here?”

“No. Can’t say I have.”

He thought that was the case, but it didn’t hurt to check. Their employer had assured Hannibal Victoria didn’t know the relatives in California, much less where they resided.

“Say lover, could you help a girl with her zipper?”

“Sure.” He stepped across the hall to the bedroom. The room looked empty. Something was wrong. Before he could back out again the blow landed hard along his back. He could have sworn he heard a crack. As he hit the floor the mystery of the crack was immediately made clear. There was a horrifically sharp pain darting from a scapula.

“Sorry Face. We’re not going anywhere.”

He had worked through the initial shock and it registered. She’d called him “Face.” He avoided rolling fully over knowing pressure on the possibly fractured bone could result in a black out. When he looked up to her she had changed alright, into jeans, not a dinner dress.

Looking down on him, head tilted, she appeared to be studying him. “You see I need to disappear. Think I don’t know it was my family who hired the A-Team to drag me back to Virginia?” She tilted her head to the other side. “Wish I could have rounded all of you up, but the reward for handing over even one will be enough to get me out of the country.”

 _What the fuck?_ She was loosely holding a length of copper pipe in her hand. Loosely was key here. She didn’t think he’d get back up.

“If you’ll excuse me. I need to make a call to a Colonel Decker.”

He was going to wipe that smirk off her face.

She stupidly stepped over him to cross to the nightstand and her phone. It hurt like hell, but he took her down, hard. The pipe sailed from her hand. Momentarily stunned she allowed just enough time for Face to get atop her, bending her right arm behind her before she could reach for her weapon.

Squirming and shouting, Face needed to quiet her before she drew in a neighbor. Fighting off pain-induced nausea he was able to drive her elbow into her side with a knee. He pressed a hand to her cheek forcing her mouth into the carpet, adding extra weight when she jerked, snapping her teeth like an angry member of a particular family of turtles.

He gingerly felt over his pockets daring his injury to rob him of consciousness. It wasn’t long before his quarry was in hand. Surprising himself with the sound of his own voice, shaky and close to tears, he spoke into his phone, “I need you. I need help.”

Victoria tried bucking him off her back but he held tight. Even with her right arm immobilized, her face pressed to the plush and her left arm flailing helplessly, he was having a hard time holding her. He shot a thought off, _Hurry_.

As though he’d been heard the splintering sound of a door being kicked in reached his ears.

BA yanked the pipe from Victoria’s hand. His attention had gone to his little brother when he yelped from pain allowing the young woman to grasp the pipe. She fought like a cat leaving BA to mutter, “Sorry Mama, can’t be helped,” before punching her hard enough to render her senseless.

He pulled off the tie he’d worn for his chauffeur uniform and tied her arms behind, thankful he had a neck the size of a grizzly’s. His six ties were all a custom extra long, thanks to a Christmas gift given to him by the man who was fighting off retching on the floor to his left. He whispered into the girl’s ear, “My pocket square’s going into your mouth. You bite me, you’re road ends here. Got that?” After a reluctant nod he shoved silk in her mouth.

Standing he placed a weighted foot on the hollow of her back. “What happened, Faceman?”

Face was on all fours, well on three as he protected his injured shoulder. The nausea had passed. “She nailed me with the pipe. She was about to call Decker.”

“What?!” He didn’t give one fuck the weight on her back increased enough to cause her to grunt.

“We gotta go. She didn’t call but I don’t know if he’s in the area.”

“Okay....Okay. Can you get up?”

Face saw the big guy lean toward him extending a hand. He flinched away which probably hurt as much as if BA had touched him after all. “Please. Let me do it. Hold her. I don’t think I can help you with her.”

Once on his feet and blowing out his second deep breath Face opened his eyes to BA standing with the girl well in hand, worry all over his face. “Get your sidearm out. Pocket it so you’re ready.”

“Yeah. Okay.”

With Face in the lead they turned right out of the bedroom following the hallway to the busted in back door. BA’s chauffeurs’ cap lay on the floor. Face leaned down to pick it up but was forced to steady himself along the wall.

“I got it Faceman. You keep going.” BA reached for the cap and Victoria tried to make a break for it. Both of her feet were lifted from the ground as BA slammed her into the wall. He leaned close, snarled a lip and said lowly, “My mama taught me not to hit girls. But after what you did to my friend here I have no problem making you the exception. Now stay there!” He picked up the cap then roughly pulled Victoria from the wall.

A few yards from the Town Car BA asked, “You okay to drive, man?”

“Gotta be. I can’t handle her.”

BA handed over the keys. He opened the back door and growled at the girl. “Get on the floor,” he ordered. There was nothing but compliance on her part.

Rolling up to the first stop sign, Face said over his shoulder, “Call Hannibal. I can only use one hand and I’m driving with it. Tell him to meet us there.”

The driveway was surprisingly long and the house likewise surprisingly secluded for a home situated in the Hollywood hills. BA had only just pressed the doorbell when he saw his van pulling up behind the Town Car. He watched as Hannibal sprinted to the driver’s door of the Ford.

Murdock was climbing the steps to the front entrance when the door opened to a group of half a dozen people on the other side. BA shoved the girl through the doorway. “We ain’t got time to chat. Got an injured man. Give us the money and we’ll be outta here.”

“Can we call for help?” one of the women asked.

“No,” Murdock chipped in. “We’d like to get him out of here before you call in the police. Hate to ding-dong ditch it and all , but we really are in a hurry.”

“Of course. Of course,” she said as she turned her head to a new man on the scene holding a briefcase. He held it out to Murdock.

“Open it please.”

As Murdock examined the contents BA’s attention was drawn out the door to the scene unfolding in the drive. Face was out of the car doing that thing where he grits his teeth and speaks to Hannibal with enough fury to all but blow the white hair back without ever raising his voice. Hannibal kept reaching for him and Faceman kept swatting at and slapping his hands away.

Hannibal opened the side door of the van and stayed out of the way as the injured Face carefully climbed in. Hannibal’s hand was right there, but didn’t dare touch him. BA could see Hannibal ask a question. He could also see Face grind out another response. Hannibal took two steps back. Without taking his eyes off the two men BA asked, “It all there, Murdock?”

The pilot was just snapping the latches in place. “We’re good.”

“Come on, we gotta go.”

“We really wanted to thank Hannibal,” came from someone.

“We’ll be sure to tell him,” Murdock smiled. “Now young lady. I hope you’ve learned your lesson that it’s not nice to murder your family members.”

“Ahh grah-hoo.” The silk square was still in the belligerent girl’s mouth.

“Come on, fool!” BA shouted from the outside.

At the bottom of the steps BA told Murdock to take the Town Car, he’d drive his van.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~¥¥¥~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

“Just! Just don’t. Murdock’s got it sitting in the right spot,” Face complained as Hannibal tried to reposition the bag of frozen peas wedged between the younger man and the back of the sofa.

“Okay,” Hannibal said before moving to the front of the sofa where he was halfway to lowering himself to the coffee table.

“What are doing? Face asked, barely suppressing his annoyance.

“Thought I’d rub your feet kid. Here, let’s get one up here.”

“You’re blocking my view.”

Hannibal glanced over his shoulder to the TV. “Tell ya what, we’ll move you sideways and I’ll sit at the other end and rub them down there.”

“Then the peas will be in the wrong place.”

Hannibal gave up, rising from his perch. He stopped at the sliding door out to the balcony. It had only been three days since he’d overruled the two men. It had been BA’s idea to drive, waiting outside just in case Face needed help. Hannibal couldn’t have been more grateful.

He should have gone himself and he knew it. A simple nose and mustache and the stupid girl wouldn’t have recognized him. And stupid she was. Thinking Decker would deliver cash to her. Clueless that rewards could take years to claim.

Face wasn’t talking to him in general, only when forced. He was pissed when Hannibal went to him in the Town Car. Then furious enough to start yelling at not only him, but at BA too, demanding he stop the van. BA did end up stopping, but it was so Hannibal could get out to change seats.

Sitting up front Hannibal lowered his visor, flipping open the makeup mirror to get a view of his young man. The sight filled him with guilt. It was obvious Face couldn’t get anywhere near comfortable. He couldn’t lean back in his seat and couldn’t lean forward, both producing enough discomfort he’d suddenly suck in air. When they pulled up to the scammed beach house he was sitting somewhat sideways in the bucket seat.

Hannibal had jumped out and opened the side door, “Come on, kid. Take my hand.”

“Get away from me.”

“‘Scuse me, Boss,” BA was now also standing at the van’s doorway.

Face looked downright pitiful. “Will you help me BA? It’s really tightening up.”

“Take it easy, Face. Nice and slow.”

Murdock had beaten them back to the house and was coming down the front walk. “You need a hand there, Facey?”

“We’re good. Go hold the door open,” BA instructed.

Hannibal brought up the rear almost walking into the closing door Murdock had abandoned once Face and BA had passed.

After a gut wrenching exam it was decided the bone may have cracked, but hadn’t fractured through. Murdock had gone into town to pick up dinner and returned with two bags of tube socks and self adhering bandages. He and BA created a cushion around and over the injury from the socks which were held in place by the bandaging.

Face had tried to reject a shot of morphine as Hannibal was the one who would administer it. BA put an end to that by threatening to not give him any. Instead he offered two large fingers for Face to grip as the boss injected into a vein on the back of his hand.

“Okay. That’s it, kid,” Hannibal commented as he snapped the needle and wrapped the syringe in a wad of paper towels.

BA applied a bandaid over the cotton pressed to the back of Face’s hand.

Hannibal was back with a half eaten plate of toast points. “Have more of this.”

“I don’t want it.”

“You know morphine doesn’t sit well with you on an empty stomach.”

Murdock had been observing the interactions and decided it was time to step in. “Give it here, Colonel. Why don’t you two go get dinner ready?”

After that things hadn’t gotten any better. Face wanted nothing to do with the boss. If he needed help he asked one of the guys. If Hannibal offered, he was rejected. He’d spent the last few nights on the sofa instead of by his man’s side. Any attempts at affection were dismissed. The only kiss he’d been able to bestow was on Face’s temple one evening after Hannibal knew he was sound asleep.

It had been four days since the girl had been turned over. The team watched the news self satisfied as Victoria did a perp walk from an SUV to a Virginia jail where she’d been extradited from California. From the information they’d been given, the case against her was rock solid, it had only been a matter of tracking down the slippery prey.

Hannibal stood, rubbing his hands together to pronounce, “Well done, gentlemen. Well done.”

Both Murdock and BA reveled in the praise. Face didn’t acknowledge the words and turned his head to look through the sliding doors to see the bits of light from the day flickering out over the ocean. So removed he didn’t register the big guy and pilot exiting out the front door until they were gone and the lock latched. It was too late for a protest. He was stuck alone with Hannibal.

“Can I get you anything, kid.”

“No.”

Hannibal sighed and took a seat in the wing chair across from his young lover. “You can’t stay mad at me forever, Temp.”

“Watch me.”

“Face, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I dismissed yours and BA’s concerns. I take full responsibility for what happened.”

“Yeah? What’s your point?”

“The point is I’m sorry and it hurts to see you injured like this.”

“Why now? You’ve seen me injured over and over again. It’s getting to a point where me getting hurt is being worked into those harebrained plans of yours. The plan hasn’t come together until Face is worse for wear.”

“That’s not true. Let’s talk about what’s really bothering you.”

“Wait. You’re really going to sit there and dismiss what I just said?” Face’s voice was incredulous.

“You’ve had worse injuries than this one...”

“You know you’ve got a lot of nerve, John. A helluva lot of nerve.”

Hannibal’s boybrain had kicked in. He was a bit lost in this conversation and it showed all over his face.

“You haven’t got a clue what I’m talking about, do you?”

Hannibal’s tilted head was answer enough.

“What do want from me, Hannibal?”

“To love you.”

“What do you expect from me?”

“For you to love me back.”

Face could only shake his head.

“You think I disregard what’s best for you?” Hannibal ventured.

“Bin-go!”

“Why do you think that is?”

“It’s you and the jazz.”

“What do you want from me, Face?”

“Consideration.”

“You don’t think I’m considerate?”

“I think you’re too wrapped up in your own head.”

“This isn’t working for you? Us?”

“It’s not that?”

“No? Can you think of anything nice about me?”

“You’re great in the sack.”

“Well that’s saying something, don’t you think?”

“Your great in bed mostly because you’re who I want to be with.”

“Are you reversing your position? You saying I’m not that good?”

“I think we’re getting off track here.”

“Then put us back on, Temp.”

“I love us. You and me. But sometimes it feels like you wouldn’t have a problem throwing that away.”

“I resent that. That’s not true and you know it!”

“How would I know it?! Look where I am now!”

“I said I was sorry.”

“You throw me in these situations and just expect me to handle them. What’s up with that?!”

“Because nine times out of ten you can handle it. You’re incredibly capable. You’re intelligent and resourceful. You’re willing to take risks. You...”

“No! You got that wrong. You’re willing to take risks with me!”

“Woah! Back up there! Who was I forever ordering to stand down? Who was it who put most of the grey hair on my head with the stunts you pulled? Who was it who said I treated you with kid gloves? Who...”

“I know! I know. But that was a long time ago.”

“Are you tired of me, kid?”

“How can I be tired of you when we hardly ever spend any time together?”

“We’re together right now.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it. Come on, John. I mean alone together.”

“We’re alone together right now.”

“Don’t do that!”

“I’m sorry, Temp. I’m... You know as well as I do I’m responsible for all three of you boys. I have a need to have you close by.”

“We’re not boys, Hannibal. We’re men. At the very least I would hope you’d at least see me as a man; otherwise, that’s just all sorts of creepy.”

Hannibal had to huff a gentle laugh at that. “Temp, we’re all glued to each other. You and I, we have our moments.”

“Stolen.”

“What?”

“Stolen moments. They’re always around.” Hannibal open his mouth to speak. “Don’t. Just let me say this. We’re never alone.” He looked out the sliders again. “Where are they now?”

“They went to a movie.”

“So we’ve got two hours. Better make the most of it. Hurry up. Let’s do you and me time.”

“You want us all to split up?” Now it was Hannibal who was incredulous.

“No. I don’t know what I want. That’s not true either. I don’t want to travel in a pack. I want you to stop treating me like I’m expendable.”

“You’re not expendable. You’re precious to me, Temp.”

“You got a funny way of showing it.” Face struggled to the edge of the sofa seat. Hannibal was on his feet. “No. Let me...” he managed to stand without too much of a grimace. “I’m still mad at you.”

Hannibal watched as he moved stiffly down the hallway towards the master bedroom. The one that it appeared would remain his own alone.

Stepping outside he lit a cigar and listened to the encroaching sea. Face had been a stew of complaints, not knowing in what order to put them. Hannibal knew the kid could be melancholy when unwell. This was different. The melancholy was, if not edged, then fully enshrined in anger.

The lack of privacy was an add on, not the problem itself. He knew Temp would never cast Murdock adrift. He also knew he appreciated not only the compassion but also the controlled anger BA had learned to channel during his stint behind bars.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want the guys around, he wanted better time for the two of them together. He wanted their time together to be more meaningful. Wanted more of their time to center around them as a couple, whether alone or not.

The fact of the matter was he thought Hannibal took him for granted. Hannibal tried on several coats of protection, but in the end had to admit it was true. He hadn’t put in enough effort at placing Face at the top of his list.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~¥¥¥~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

It had been over a month since they’d unceremoniously dumped Victoria off at the Mobley estate and Face’s convalescence was progressing better than expected. The Mobley job had been a lucrative one. It seemed Thomas Mobley was so grateful for the capture of his sister’s killer he felt a tip was in order and a very generous twenty percent one at that.

It gave them all some breathing room. Unfortunately, it did nothing to stop Victoria from spilling she knew where the team had been hiding out, resulting in a close call the morning they left the beach house.

After any brushes with Decker or his men the team would huddle. Hannibal concerned straying apart afforded less protection than they could each supply each other as a unit. This time was no different.

Face had forgiven Hannibal, but things felt changed. They carried on as they had before but the tone seemed new. Or maybe it hadn’t changed. Maybe Hannibal was just then seeing it for what it really was.

Now when Hannibal would look up only to find Face’s eyes on him, as always, filled with love and trust he wondered if the scrutiny he also saw had always been there. He noted how often Face was literally by his side, sometimes just nearby other times his arm or shoulder pressed to Hannibal. Had Face’s attempts to establish contact always been so frequent? He had to catch himself from brushing Temp off and wondered how often he had done so before. Yet by the same token, he also noted how many times he stopped himself from slinging an arm around Face’s shoulder.

Though his damaged bone was knitting itself back together, Hannibal was extremely cautious in how he physically handled his young man. The few bedroom romps they’d attempted were aborted when it was obvious Face was unable to fully participate. However Hannibal made a point, while tamping down his own urges, of fulfilling Face’s needs in ways that would give an ancient concubine a run for her money.

Taking a small job a couple of weeks after the one for the Mobley’s, Hannibal stepped in where Face would have naturally gone, taking Murdock along for a short con. While BA had set up an intricate network of various listening devices, all Face had to do was monitor them from a safe distance.

When Hannibal was explaining the plan to quickly and efficiently point state law enforcement in the direction of a crooked sheriff, he saw Face significantly relax after hearing his part. It bothered the boss to realize Face, while injured was anticipating being assigned a position beyond his current capabilities. Did Hannibal really become so consumed in the details of planning he could be completely blinded to what was right in front of him? The job only took three days, but it had been a real wake up call.

Dipping his toes further into the world of PDAs he noted how BA stiffened the afternoon Hannibal walked up behind Face and planted a single, gentle kiss on his sore shoulder. After seeing the wide smile it brought out in Face he decided it was far more pleasurable to elicit that response from Temp than to placate BA. The strongman was just going to have to get over it and live with it.

By paying such close attention he saw their bond was strong and he could see clearly he had in fact been taking it for granted, too often blurring the lines between themselves and the team. Though he’d been behaving otherwise, it was also clear the two didn’t have to be mutually exclusive. On inspection he wondered why Face had stuck it out.

Becoming more aware and acting on it was one thing, really showing Temp how important he was to Hannibal and the high position he held in his heart was another.

What he needed was a plan.

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~¥¥¥~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Face woke from an afternoon nap to the sound of excited voices. He ungracefully rolled from the bed. Didn’t hurt as much that way even if it wasn’t at all elegant. He made a stop in the bathroom before ambling down the hallway of the out-of-the-way cabin they currently occupied.

There were voices in the kitchen, predominantly an excited Murdock. Hannibal was in the living room, his back to Face. He was slightly hunched over, an elbow held out, extending to his side as though holding an injured rib.

 _WTF? Did they get into an argument?_ “John? Is something wrong?”

Hannibal turned, shining a smile that was positively glowing from within. He wasn’t holding an injured rib at all. Instead he held in his arms a baby, not a newborn, but an infant all the same. Face stared, wondering if he had indeed woken up, questioning if he was still tucked away in his and John’s bed. Then he saw it. He recognized the baby. Somewhere in his head a processor had fizzled out. This didn’t make any sense.

Without seeing the approach from the corner of his eye his view was suddenly blocked.

“Hi Pup!” It was Sarah, Hannibal’s daughter.

The baby suddenly made sense; however, his sudden appearance along with his mother sent another box full of the nonsensical tumbling around him. Where the hell had they come from?

“Oh, Dad. I think I broke him,” Sarah said eyes on an obviously bewildered Face.

As she stepped in for a hug Hannibal spoke up. “Careful with him, Sarah. He has an injured shoulder.”

“What are you doing here?” Face asked into air as the young woman nestled in under his chin, dismissing the pain leaking from his shoulder blade.

“Dad called. Said it had been long enough. I needed to visit. So I packed up Jonathan, kissed Paul goodbye and took the most indirect route I could manage.”

Hannibal had stepped forward, baby Jonathan in his arms happily cooing and drooling.

With an arm still around Sarah he felt a sting of tears behind his eyes as he looked on the infant. Face hadn’t been this happy in he didn’t know how long.

“Wanna hold your grandson?”

Face could only look down on her and mumble, “My grandson?” After a moment he added, “I don’t want to drop him.”

“Shoulder bothering you? Come on, over here.” Hannibal stepped aside. “Sit in that chair,” he added tipping his head in the direction of one of the chairs flanking the fireplace.

Sarah urged him into motion, setting him on a route to the chair. “How’s it feel being a grandpa?”

“Wonderful. Except I’m not really his grandfather.”

“Of course you are! I say it’s so and I always get my way.”

Face found he couldn’t argue with that logic.

Hannibal carefully handed over the bundle and stepped back.

“You feeling all warm and squishy inside, Boss,” Murdock asked from the kitchen doorway. It brought out a chuckle from everyone except Face. He hadn’t heard. He was transfixed with the child whose admiration was obviously mutual.

“Look at that. Can’t take his eyes off of your Pup,” Hannibal said using the second nickname Temp had acquired upon his and Sarah’s first meeting.

“It’s Pup’s blue eyes,” Sarah remarked. “He’s just starting to see color.” She knelt on the floor beside the two. “So what do you want him to call you?”

“I...I don’t know,” Face stumbled. “I suppose Pup will work.”

“No way! That’s all mine. How about Grampa or Grandfather? Papa’s already taken. Frank called dibs on it right out of the chute,” she laughed, referring to her mother’s, second husband.

Face looked up to Hannibal, “You should be ‘Grandfather.’”

“Does that make you Grandpa?” Sarah asked.

“Sure.” He looked back down to the baby. “That work for you little man?” Jonathan gurgled and reached upward with a pudgy hand.

“Paul couldn’t make it?” Hannibal asked about Sarah’s husband.

“No. He couldn’t get away from work on such short notice. Besides, he said there should be someone on the outside other than Mom who can bail the baby out in case we all get arrested.” More laughter erupted.

“How is your mom?” Hannibal inquired about his ex-wife.

“She’s doing great. And she’s doing her absolute best not to offer unsolicited advice.”

“Must be killing her,” Hannibal offered.

“Be nice,” Face chastised.

“Where we putting them up?” Bosco came in the room carrying a cradle.

“Did you bring that with?” Face asked.

“No,” Sarah answered with wonder in her eyes.

“When Hannibal told me we’d be hosting a baby I made it,” BA replied, maybe a little put out he had to explain himself.

“Wait. You knew they were coming?”

BA didn’t answer. Instead he tried dodging the question by holding the cradle a little higher and raising his brows to Hannibal, asking again where he should put the light blue, wooden creation.

“Why don’t you just put it down for now,” Hannibal suggested.

Face had turned to Murdock. “Did you know too?”

“I’m sorry Faceman. I was sworn to secrecy.”

Face turned to Hannibal. Without a word Hannibal only smiled and shrugged a shoulder. Face was in fear of losing it. He hoisted the baby and buried his face alongside Jonathan’s head, who immediately fisted a handful of curls.

“Can I hold him? Please, please, please.” Murdock was bouncing up and down on his toes.

Sarah absently said, “Sure, sure,” while admiring the cradle.

Possession of the child was turned over to Uncle Murdock just before everyone’s attention turned to his mother who had let out a squeal of delight. “There’s a baby Ranger badge painted on it!”

“Considering everyone in the room is a Ranger, even his mama, thought it was only right,” BA noted.

“Are those hinges?” Sarah asked, brow furrowed.

“Yup. All folds down. It’s portable.”

Sarah grabbed BA hard. “Thank you so much Uncle Bosco. I love it. Paul’s going to love it. And I know Jonathan will too. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, little lady.”

Hannibal was smiling at the exchange and glanced at Face to shared the moment only to find him missing from the chair. He heard water from the faucet in the kitchen. Stepping into the room, he watched as Face set the emptied glass down. He leaned with his good arm on the edge of the sink, eyes glazed and directed out the window above.

“Hey.”

Hannibal wasn’t prepared for the response, “Hey,” spoken in a voice that seemed to catch in Face’s throat.

“You okay?”

“What kind of stupid question is that? No I’m not okay.”

Hannibal’s heart sank and his stomach swooped. “I thought...”

“You thought what, Hannibal? You’d be able to pull off the best surprise I’ve ever had without me choking?”

Stumped. Flat out stumped, Hannibal didn’t know how to respond until Face had crossed the distance between them and was doing his absolute best to wrap his entire body around Hannibal’s own.

“Thank you, Beau. Just thank you.”

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~¥¥¥~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

For LB’s prompt: Hannibal ignores advice and makes a mistake which results in Face being injured. Face is understandably angry with Hannibal and refuses to let him take care of him, turning to the rest of the team instead. How does Hannibal make it up to Face?

This actually belongs with the [“Sarah Files”](https://archiveofourown.org/series/857996) series. Will move it there later. Didn’t want to spoil surprise for Face or give away ending for LB.


End file.
